Frankfort football ready for challenge

Thursday

Sep 29, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2011 at 12:51 PM

Two of the three Class C East high school football teams vying for the two Section III playoff berths meet in Frankfort on Friday night, and a win by the home team would mean a first-place showdown with Mohawk Valley rival Herkimer next week.

It sure would be nice if old Mohawk Valley high school football rivals Herkimer and Frankfort-Schuyler, both 4-0 and both ranked in the state heading into Friday night’s Week 5 games, meet with a Class C East title at stake next week in East Herkimer.

Of course, Notre Dame High’s Jugglers will have something to say about it. Notre Dame (3-1), already beaten by Herkimer this season, faces a must-win situation at Frankfort this Friday night.

With only two Section III playoff berths for those three teams, that should make for a very interesting next two weeks.

"It’s a good challenge," said Frankfort head coach Jeff LaGase, his Maroon Knights up against a Notre Dame spread offense led by RB Colin Hulser and QB Colin Pastorella. "Notre Dame is absolutely huge up front, the quarterback obviously can throw the ball, and Hulser is just an exceptional athlete who can do it all. He’s a weapon.

"We’re going to have to be ready to play."

Herkimer hosts Little Falls (2-2) this Friday night, before ending its six-game regular season at home against Frankfort. The Magicians did not fill a Week 7 date that opened up when South Lewis’ program was shut down because of low numbers.

LaGase said his Frankfort team was given a real boost in its season opener, when the Maroon Knights and new starting quarterback John Gatto rallied for a last-minute, 28-21 win at Sherburne-Earlville.

Gatto, a senior who missed nearly all of last season with an injury, has completed 32 of 50 passes for 650 yards. He has thrown only one interception and has seven touchdown passes.

"He has really grasped our style of offense," LaGase said of Gatto. "He’s been a super leader and he’s a very good athlete, too. He’s making plays and what has really impressed me is hi decision making."

Gatto is one of the few newcomers on a balanced Frankfort offense – featuring Gerald Post, Vinny Fumarola, Gio Morocco and Pat Fraccola -- that has scored at least 50 points in each of the last three games.

"That (balance) makes it a lot harder to shut us down," said tight end Fumarola, very much looking forward to Friday night’s test.

"It’s just going to be two teams going after each other the whole game."